


Making New Memories

by pharmtechgirl71



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, happiness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:14:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22680787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pharmtechgirl71/pseuds/pharmtechgirl71
Summary: Daryl and Amanda start their life togther.
Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This is the sequel to Your Memory Brought Me Back. It is nine chapters and will be posted twice a week, probably Wed and Sat. Let me know what you think.

Daryl wasn’t trying to be late to work, but it couldn’t be helped. Amanda was in the kitchen making coffee and a quick breakfast, so when the shower door opened he was slightly surprised. They had been living together for three months and he was still amazed by her everyday.

“You’re insasiable,” he told her with a dumb grin on his face.

“Honey, I have never gotten sex this regualar, especially with someone I love. Don’t cut me off this soon,” she pretended to beg.

Daryl laughed. “Me, cut you off? You are insane woman.” He wrapped his arms around her. “You are gonna have to fight me off with a taser.”

She stepped under the water and let it run down her body.Daryl knew he would be pressed for time so he stroked himself to make things go faster. Taking her by the hips, he kissed her and ran his mouth down her neck to her chest. He pressed himself against her and rubbed their bodies together.  
Turning them around, Daryl pressed her front against the tile and placed her foot on the edge of the tub to steady her. He sloppily kissed her neck and fondled her breasts while rubbing his hard cock against her ass. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known and I’m gonna fuck the hell out of you,” he said seductively.

Amanda shivered; just the sound of his voice could make her wet. Without pretense, he rubbed the head of his cock against her entrance and pushed his way inside. She gasped loudly as he snapped his hip moving deeper inside her. He held her hips in place as she gripped the towel rack on the wall tightly.

They didn’t do this very often, at least not since he started the new job. His new boss was a pain in the ass about being on time and neither Daryl nor Amanda wanted to deal with that shit.

Daryl was grateful that he had washed up before Amanda joined him because no matter how quick he could be it was never quick enough. Paul was gonna have his ass by the time he made it into the shop.

Amanda’s eyes were closed and her breathing was stunted. He was mercilessly pounding her and she was about to explode. Daryl held her as close to him as was possible and you couldn’t have gotten a breath of air between their bodies. He knew she hadn’t come yet, but he couldn’t hold out anymore and let loose with a groan.

It took him a couple of minutes to gather himself, but when he did, he began to rub small, tight circles on her clit. He knew she was close; he could feel her start to tighten around him.

When she finally came, she reached behind her and grabbed Daryl around the neck. Her body jerked and he continued to hold her through it, resting his forehead against her back.

Daryl turned the water off, stepped out of the shower, then helped Amanda out. They dried off and went back into the bedroom to get dressed. “You got anything important going on today?” he asked.

“I thought about going into town for a while. I have to pick up a few things, then maybe stop at the diner to see Tiffany.”

“Tell her I said Hi.” Daryl said and headed out the bedroom door. Amanda followed him into the kitchen where he was filling up his travel cup with the coffee that was left. He grabbed a piece of toast that was sticking out of the toaster and made a mad dash to the front door where she gave him a huge kiss before he walked out,

“Domestic bliss,” he laughed. “Never thought I’d see it.”

As he ran down the walkway to his bike Amanda yelled at him, “Tell my asshole brother it was all my fault.”


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amanda gets good news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be posting two chapters today.Thank you to everyone who has read, left comments and kudos.

Daryl had started working for Amanda’s brother Paul about a month ago. He owned his own machine shop and made parts for the Toyota and Ford plants in the state. Daryl hadn’t gone to school to be a machinist, but he had plenty of jobs where ‘button pusher’ was the main title. Paul taught him a lot and Daryl was a fast learner.

He wasn’t as late as he thought he would be. According to the time clock, he could be up to seven minutes late before the clock locked him out and he came in at five minutes past. He tried to avoid Paul on his way to the shop floor, but could never have been that lucky.

“You made better time than i thought you would,” Paul said loudly from down the hall.

Daryl cringed when he heard his boss’ voice. “I swear to God, Paul, I was not trying to be late this morning. Things just got out of control.”

Paul winked at him. “I know. Mandy called and told me. You’re cool. I haven’t seen her this happy in years and you’re shaping up to be one of my best young machinists. As long as she’s happy and you eventually show up for work, you’re safe.”

“Thanks, man. I appreciate it. Your sister can be pretty insistent when she wants something.”

“I’ve known her for thirty-five years. You’re not telling me anything I haven’t known my whole life,” Paul said and both men laughed. “Listen, when it’s time for your lunch come to my office. There’s something I want to discuss with you. I’ll order lunch for us, okay?”

“Sure, no problem. See ya then.” The two men shook hands and Daryl walked through the double steel doors to start work.

\--------

Amanda pulled into the medical center parking lot. She was nervous as hell, but not nearly as nervous as she would be if she didn’t have Daryl in her life. She hadn’t told him about her appointment because she didn’t want to give him false hope. 

She only had to wait for twenty minutes before she was called to the back. After being weighed and having her blood pressure and temperature checked the nurse gave her a small plastic cup.When she came out of the bathroom, the nurse showed her to her examination room.

“So, you suspect you could be pregnant?” the nurse asked her.

“It’s been a month and a half since my last period. I can’t think of anything else it could be.” Amanda replied.

“Is this your first pregnancy?”

Amanda sighed. “No, I had a son nine years ago.”

“Are your current symptoms the same as you experienced with your first pregnancy?”

“Mostly,” Amanda answered.

“Okay, what is different this time?”

“I’m nauseous like I was last time, but I’m not throwing up, thank God. But I’m having a lot of headaches.”

“Do you have a history of headaches?”

“No. I had a couple of migraines when I was a teenager, but that’s about it. Every now and then I’ll have a sinus headache in the winter.”

“It’s not unusual to have headaches during pregnancy, but I’ll alert the doctor in case they get any worse. Is there anything else you’d like to talk to the doctor about?”

“No. I think that’s it.”

“Alright. She should be back in a few minutes.”

Amanda sat in a chair against the wall and picked up a Good Housekeeping magazine from five months ago. She knew deep down that she was pregnant. She wasn’t sick like she was the last time; for that she was grateful. The smile would not leave her face. She couldn’t wait to tell Daryl.


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl and his boss have a talk.

When lunchtime came around, Daryl clocked out and walked down the hall to Paul’s office. His boss was on the phone when he got there, so the man motioned for Daryl to come in and have a seat. He saw that there were boxes of food from the local mom and pop Bar-b-que place on the table in the corner of the room.

Paul quickly ended his call and gave his attention to Daryl. “Go ahead and get something to eat. Help yourself.” Daryl was starving. The toast and coffee from this morning didn’t hold up and all the moving around he’d done since he started work was exhausting.

“So, I assume things are good with you and Amanda?” Paul asked.

Daryl grinned like an idiot. “Yeah, I’ve never been this happy. Never thought I’d ever have anything like this.”

“Well, I don’t think she’s ever loved anyone but you. I’m glad you came back, and stayed. I couldn’t stand to see her hurt again.”

Daryl still felt shame for what had happened ten years ago. “If I had known what was going to happen, I would have let my brother leave without me and stayed with her.”

“I know. What’s important is that you came back and you’re not leaving again, right?”

“She’ll have to kill me to get rid of me.” Daryl replied.

“Good, because I wouldn’t make you this offer if I thought you would skip out on us.”

“What offer?” Daryl asked. His curiosity peaked. 

“You have a lot of potential in this industry. You have an amazing work ethic. Even my older, experienced machinists don’t have the motivation you’ve shown. I want you to go to the technical college and get an associates degree. I’ll pay for it. You could run this place someday.”

Daryl almost choked on his baby back. “You want to pay for me to go to school? I don’t know what to say. I never thought I’d be going to school for anything.”

“Do you like working here?” Paul asked.

“I love it. I’ve never worked in a place where I felt comfortable. I’ve got friends here, people trust me enough to give me responsibilities. My brother never trusted me this much. I would love to learn how to do all this.”

“Good. I’ll get Susan to get us some information about registering you. Hopefully it isn’t too late to get you in for this fall.”

\----------

You couldn’t have wiped the smile off Amanda’s face with a Brillo pad. She had to stop at the drugstore on her way home to pick up some vitamins, but then she was going to the diner. She had to tell someone and Tiffany was going to love hearing this.

The diner was almost empty when she arrived. She sat in her and Daryl’s regular booth and waited patiently for her niece. 

“Hi, Aunt Amanda! How are you?” Tiffany asked as she came out of the kitchen.

“I’m doing fantastic, kid. Can I get a bacon cheeseburger, onion rings, and a diet Coke?”

“Sure thing. You look like you're glowing. Anything special going on?”

“How about you bring me my lunch and then you can sit with me and we’ll talk.”

Tiffany agreed and went to put the order in and grab a diet Coke. “How’s Dary doing? We really miss him here. We’ve gone through three waitresses since he left,” she said when she returned.

“He’s doing great. He loves working for your dad. I think he’s got a real aptitude for mechanics.”

“Well, I’m sure Mel would take him back in a hot second if he needed to come back.” Both women laughed as Tiffany returned to the kitchen to get her aunt’s lunch.

As she sat Amanda’s lunch in front of her, Tiffany took the seat across from her aunt. “It’s weird, Daryl’s always the one who orders a bacon cheeseburger. I didn’t think you’d be able to eat this much food.”

“I’m gonna have to get used to eating more. My doctor wants me to gain at least five to ten pounds in the next few months.”

Tiffany was completely confused. She cocked her head and thought about what Amanda had said. “Oh my God! Are you pregnant?”

Amanda nodded her head, her mouth was full of burger and onion rings. Tiffany stood up and screamed in delight. “How long have you known? Does Daryl know yet? When are you due?”

Amanda laughed. “I literally just left the doctor’s office thirty minutes ago. No, I haven’t spoken to Daryl yet, and February twentieth. Please don’t say anything to anyone yet, especially your dad. I want to wait until I’m through the first trimester before I share this with everyone. I know it’s gonna be hard, but I need you to keep my secret.”


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl and Amanda have good news for each other.

Daryl couldn’t wait to get home and tell Amanda that he was finally going to college. He hoped she would be happy for him because the only other thing he had ever felt this good about was her. 

When he pulled into the driveway, he sat on the bike for a good five minutes trying to calm himself down. This was one of the biggest opportunities he had ever been offered and had already agreed to the deal. He had always dreamed of going to college and having a good life. Now he could do it and give Amanda the best life possible.

He called out for Amanda as he walked through the door. She stepped into the doorway of the kitchen and called back to him. “What smells good?” He asked.

“I’m making pasta carbonara. I haven’t fixed this in years and I wanted tonight to be special.”

Daryl put his arms around her and kissed her sweetly. “Fancy spaghetti, sounds perfect. Do I have time to take a shower or do you need my help?”

“I got it covered. You do your thing.”

“I won’t be long. There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

He kissed her on the forehead and walked down the hall. “There’s something I want to talk about with you too.” She said under her breath once he was gone.

While he was in the shower, he rehearsed how he would tell Amanda the news. Knowing he had a tendency to ramble when he was excited or nervous made him scared that he would embarrass himself. He always had a hard time with words and putting them in order to make sense.

As he reentered the kitchen, Amanda was sitting at the table plating up the food. “So, I assume you had a good day. You don’t ever come home with that big of a smile on your face.”

Daryl shook his head in disbelief. “You’re not going to believe what happened today. Paul told me to come to his office at lunch; said he wanted to talk to me about something. He had told me before about how impressed he was that I was learning so fast and he offered to send me to the vocational college to get an Associates Degree in machining. wants to try to get me in for this fall.”

Amanda shrieked. “Oh my God! That’s wonderful!” She jumped up from the table and wrapped her arms around Daryl’s neck. “When do you start?”

“His assistant is supposed to be getting us the information. Application, pricing, schedule, all that stuff. He said it’s probably an 18 month program; it’ll start in September, and I can work a few hours here and there when I can but he wants me to concentrate on school. He said I could be in charge one day.”

“I am so happy for you!” Amanda exclaimed. “I knew Paul would take care of you.”

“Did you tell him to do this? I know you talked to him this morning. Did he make me this offer because you told him to?”

“No, baby. The only reason I talked to him this morning was to tell him you were going to be late. I had no idea that he was thinking of this. ‘Course, he’s only got Tiffany and she had zero interest in the business. I suppose he wants to keep it in the family. Maybe he thinks we’ll have someone to hand it down to someday.”

“I hope we do,” he replied. “I think I want that more than anything. I can’t wait.”

“Do you really mean that? Having a kid is a lot of responsibility. He, or she takes priority, you’re not as important anymore. You won’t be sleeping hardly at all and you’ll be dragging ass all day. Plus, they’re very expensive.”

“Once I get this degree, I’ll be making more money. I might have to work more hours though. We can discuss it when the time comes.”

“Uh, Daryl, the time is now.” 

He looked at her confused. “Huh?”

“I’m pregnant now.”

‘The fuck you are,” he said sarcastically. “Don’t fuck with me like that.”

“It’s a fact. I’m not fucking with you. I’ve suspected for a little bit now and the doctor confirmed it today. I’m due in February.”

Daryl was dumbstruck. He couldn’t speak, just stuttered around. Amanda took pity on him and hugged him tight. His body began to shake in her arms and she felt hot tears on her shoulder. He looked up at her and took her face in his hands. “I think baby trumps college.”

“No, it doesn’t. Each one is going to be a struggle for both of us. You’re dealing with both and I’ll be dealing with both. But we’ll be doing this together, right? I think it will be a better experience for me this time because you’ll be here.   
I’ll be here to help you through school. We’ll make things easier for each other.”

“I don’t know if I can do both at the same time. I’ll be in school all day; I won’t be able to go to the doctor’s office with you; I’ll miss everything.”

“Daryl, you’re being ridiculous. You’re worrying over nothing. You don’t have to be here for everything. I know you don’t want to miss anything, but as long as you’re there when the important stuff happens, it’s all going to be okay. You concentrate on getting that degree and I’ll focus on growing a baby, alright?”

‘You’ll have to tell me what’s important. I don’t know shit about having a baby. It all seems important to me.”

“Most of it’s just routine check ups. Checking my weight, blood pressure, make sure the baby is growing; nothing exciting. I’ll let you know when you should be there.”

“Okay,” he replied hesitantly. His head was about to explode. He was happy and excited but also a nervous wreck. Never would he have thought that Amanda would be pregnant this soon but then again, last time it had only taken one night.

“What do we do now?” he asked quietly. “Do we need to call people or let someone know?”

“The only people who know are the doctor’s office and Tiffany.” She blushed. “I was so excited, I had to tell someone; I couldn’t hold it in. I don’t want to tell anybody else yet, though. I wanna wait till the first trimester is over just to be safe. I swore Tiff to secrecy and threatened her if she spilled the beans.”

“Do you really think she can keep her mouth shut?” The whole idea made him doubtful.

“It doesn’t matter; I just like having a secret between the two of us for a while.” She sat on his lap and they held each other for a long time. “I love you more than anything.”

“I love you too; I always have, you know that. I just want things to be good for you this time.”

“You’re here. Things are better already.”


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl makes an important decision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I missed posting Saturday. I wasn't home and didn't have my laptop. Original schedule will resume.

Daryl laid awake that night, Amanda in his arms; he was worrying about everything expectant fathers should be worrying about. His own father had been a worthless piece of shit that didn’t deserve to breathe. He prayed relentlessly that he would be better than him.

By morning, he had made a decision. He wasn’t sure if it was a wise decision but it was something he knew he had to do. Something he should have done a long time ago, but his life had gotten in the way; a life he never thought he would have.

Amanda was snuggled deep in his arms when she began to stir. Daryl was dead tired and was finally ready to sleep, but unfortunately had to get ready for work. “Good morning,” he said and wrapped his arms around her tighter.

“Good morning,” she replied and turned to face him. “How did you sleep?”

“I didn’t. I couldn’t clear my mind. I have a lot to think about.”

“I know, baby. Everything is going to work out. We’re going to be fine, the baby is going to be fine. We have each other, we have our friends and family to help if we need them.”

“Speaking of family, I made a decision. I’m going to Elmore to see Merle. I haven’t seen or talked to him since I came to Georgia. He needs to know what’s going on. I don’t think he’s going to believe any of this is real. He always told me that Dixon’s weren’t worth shit and didn’t deserve shit.”

“Merle’s an idiot. He was transferring his feelings about himself onto you. He believed that now look where he is. You’re here with me, you have a great job, you’re making money, getting ready to go to college and you’re going to have your own family soon. Between the two of you, who do you think is worthy? You deserve everything you have.”

“I think I’m starting to believe that. I hate saying this but I wouldn’t have any of this if Merle was still around. The whole reason I was able to come back here is because he’s in prison. He held me back my entire life because he was afraid of being alone. He’s always needed me more than I needed him. That’s why I want to see him; tell him he’s got a home when he gets out.”

“Then go see him, soonest possible time. Paul will be happy to give you a day off to drive to Alabama.”

Daryl bent his head and kissed Amanda. He had been so excited about his news that he had planned an all night celebration, but was sidetracked by her news and his stress level had gone off the charts. But this morning, after a night of contemplation, he was more relaxed and at ease with the situation.

His hand moved down her body, gently caressing every inch of her silky skin. He lingered at her stomach, rubbing circles, trying to show affection to a child that wasn’t even as big as his fingernail. He lavished love there, where his child slept.

He turned her in his arms where her back was against his chest and pulled her leg up around his hip. Just the thought of the woman he loved pregnant with his child, made him love her even more, if that was possible. He buried his face in her neck and sucked on her skin.

She snuggled closer to him and moaned loudly. “You’ll be late again,” she said softly.

“Don’t give a fuck,” he replied harshly. “I had planned on this last night, but got distracted. We have to get as much of this in before we can’t do it anymore.”

“That’s not real ya know,” she said breathlessly. “We can have sex up until I go into labor.”

“Doesn’t change how I feel about it; I want you as much as I can have you until then.” He rubbed the head of his cock against her entrance. She was dripping wet; she was always wet for him, he hardly had to do a thing and he couldn’t get enough of it.

She gasped as he slipped inside her. No one else had ever filled her up like he did and it overwhelmed her every time. She had forgotten how good his touch felt, how strong his arms were, and revelled in his attention now that he was back. His grip on her grew tighter as his hips moved in a frenzy. His breathing was hard and heavy in her ear. She moved her hips in time with his and met him thrust for thrust.

He could tell by her movements and the sounds she was making that she was close. He stroked her clit slowly hoping to make her come before he exploded. Suddenly her body went rigid and her mouth fell open in a silent scream. He felt her tighten and gush around him. His own body spasmed and he came hard inside her.

It took him a few minutes to catch his breath and calm down. She shook in his arms and moaned from the aftershocks. Daryl buried his face in her neck and mumbled something. “You’re gonna have to speak more clearly. I don’t understand grunts, caveman.”

“I have to take a shower and get ready for work,’ he whined. 

“Go then, just don’t slip and fall,” she whispered before sinking back into the bed and going back to sleep.

\----------

Dayl pulled into a parking space with two minutes to spare. He was lucky that the traffic had been light because he stopped to get coffee and a chicken biscuit on his way into work. He clocked in then took his breakfast to his station. He checked the machine to make sure nothing had happened to it during the night shift, then turned it on. 

This week he was making timing covers on the CNC lathe. They were easy enough and the turnover time per part would give him enough time to drink his coffee and have his biscuit.

Paul came out to the floor about two hours after shift started and Daryl patiently waited for him to make his way to his area. “You got a minute?” he asked as he shook the boss’ hand. “There’s a couple of things I want to talk to you about. I have a couple of questions.”

“Sure, Daryl. Does this have to do with what we talked about yesterday? Because Susan got that information for us. You need to fill out the application

“No problem. I can do that at lunch. I’d like to visit my brother. I haven’t seen him or talked to him since I came back to Senoia and I’ve got a lot to tell him.”

“Of course. You just let me know what day and you can have it off. Not a big deal at all. What’s the other thing you want to ask me about?”

Daryl was nervous about this one. He had never asked this before; didn’t even know if it was necessary, but he knew it was the proper and respectful thing to do.

“I, uh, want to ask you if it’s okay if . . . I just want to say that . . . I want to marry Amanda.”

Paul’s jaw dropped to the floor. He laughed out loud and slapped Daryl on the back. “That’s wonderful!” he exclaimed. “How are you gonna do it? Do you have a ring yet?” 

“Can’t I just say ‘Will you marry me?’ or is that too boring? And no, I don’t have a ring yet. I only have five hundred saved up so I’ll have to wait a few weeks.”

“Okay, the proposal we’ll discuss. It should be memorable and special. As far as the ring goes, I can advance you on your next check.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Daryl replied embarrassed.

“Dude, you’re going to be my brother. I grew up with an annoying little sister. You have no idea how happy this makes me.”

Paul arranged for Daryl to get half of his next check added to the paycheck he would be receiving this coming Friday, he also arranged for Dayl to have Friday off to visit Merle. He thought that maybe, after seeing his brother, he would start looking for an engagement ring.


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl goes to see his brother, then makes a major purchase.

Daryl was up early Friday morning. He was nervous about seeing Merle for the first time in four months. He knew Merle better than anyone else in the world and knew that his brother’s reaction could hit anywhere on the spectrum. 

There was a chance that Merle would be happy for him and agree to live in Senoia when he was released from prison, but there was just as much of a chance that he would hate Daryl for not calling or coming to see him and accuse him of abandoning him for strangers.

Amanda was still sleeping when he got out of bed; he tried his best not to wake her. Grabbing his clothes from the chair, he went into the bathroom to shower and get ready.  
It would take three and a half hours to get to Elmore Correctional Facility; visitation started at ten o’clock and he would have about an hour to be with his brother. He hoped that would leave him plenty of time to find the perfect engagement ring.

He saw himself in the mirror. He looked different from when he first rode into town three months ago. His hair was shorter, his beard was nicely trimmed, and he was wearing khakis and a striped button down shirt; Merle won’t know who he is.

In the mirror, he saw Amanda cuddled under the blankets, sleeping. He smiled as he always did when he was near her. He loved his life and it was getting better everyday. He hoped Merle would understand and be happy for him.

\----------

He was escorted into the visitation room by two armed guards who stood about five feet away from the table Daryl sat at. He sat there for about five minutes before he heard Merle’s boisterous voice.

“I promise to be a good boy, Juan. I ain’t gonna start no riot or try to escape, you can take these shackles off. I’ll buy ya a taco.”

The guard, who could have been named Juan but Daryl doubted it, pulled his brother into the room by a chain attached to another chain around his waist, which was attached to his handcuffs and the shackles around his ankles. 

The guard led Merle to the table where his brother was sitting. Daryl had been given a list of rules to abide by and no physical contact was number one. It was so hard for Daryl to not jump up and hug his brother who he hadn’t seen in four months.

“Well, Darlina, good of you to stop by and make sure I’m not dead.”

“What’s with the shackles,Merle? What the hell did you do?”

“I didn’t start anything. Some guys in the cell block got into a fight and got me involved in it.”

“You were completely innocent,” Daryl said sarcastically. 

“Of course I’m innocent. I didn’t even do what they say I did to get in here.”

“Yes, you did. You showed me the shit you stole and then tried to get me to help you sell it, you dumbass.”

“Anyway, don’t matter no more. I thought you’d forgot i exist. What brings ya here?”

“I’m sorry I ain’t been to see ya, but I’ve been really busy the last three months. I went back to Senoia and that’s where I live now.”

“Senoia? Georgia? What the hell is in Senoia?”

“Do you remember Amanda?”

“Shit! She was that damn waitress, wasn’t she?   
What the fuck about Joshua? Now who's the dumbass?”

“Joshua’s in prison. It’s just me and her. We live together. I’m gonna ask her to marry me; she’s gonna have a baby.”

Merle’s eyes bugged out of his head. Daryl proceeded to tell his brother everything; David, Amanda’s marriage to Joshua, David’s death, everything.

“Holy shit, little brother. I ain’t gonna be out in time for the wedding or the baby. I’m gonna miss everything.”

‘No ya won’t. I’ll talk to your lawyer; if you’re gonna be my best man at the wedding, you’re gonna need a day out. I haven’t even asked her yet. Don’t know if she’s gonna want to do it before or after the baby comes. I don’t know if she’s gonna want to get married again at all.”

“She’d be an idiot to say no, after everything y’all have been through. You just promise me that you’ll let me know what happens. I don’t want to miss seeing you get hitched and I certainly don’t want to miss seeing my niece or nephew.”

“When you do get out, I want ya to come live in Senoia. I’m sure I can get Paul to give you a job at the machine shop; as long as you promise not to steal parts or material from him. He’s gonna be family, you don’t do that shit to family. You know that.”

“Calm down, Darlina. I wouldn’t do that to you. I’m glad that at least one of us gets a happy ending. You’re a better man than I am, always knew you were. Always knew things would work out for you.”

“Things can work out for you too, Merle. Ya just gotta give it a chance, make some sacrifices, don’t do anything illegal.”

“You know I’ll try, for you brother. I’ll do anything for you.”

\----------

Daryl made a detour on his way back home. He rode into Newnan to a place calle Kanricks, a local jeweler Paul had told him about. It took him an hour to make up his mind as to what kind of ring to get. Finally, he settled on a one and a half carat heart shaped diamond. He was able to put down over half the price on it and left with his future in his front pocket.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl has a questian.

Daryl got back home around one o’clock that afternoon. Before arriving at the house, he stopped at the diner and picked up lunch for him and Amanda. He was surprised to hear from Tiffany that her aunt had eaten a bacon cheeseburger a few days earlier, so he ordered two of those and was on his way home.

When he walked in the door, he looked around for Amanda but didn’t see her anywhere. Her car was in the driveway so she had to be around. He took the opportunity and went into the bedroom; taking the ring box out of his pocket, he looked around to find a place to hide it until he found the perfect time to propose.

As he hid the box in the pocket of one of his jackets in the closet, he heard the sound of splashing water coming from the bathroom. Peeking through the door, he saw Amanda relaxed in the tub surrounded by bubbles. He knocked softly and announced himself.

“Is it okay if I come in, baby?”

“Of course. You can join me if ya like.”

Daryl walked in and sat on the floor next to the tub. “Maybe we can do something later. I stopped at the diner and picked up lunch. I heard you had a bacon cheeseburger the other day, so I got you one of those.”

“Yum! I never ate one before because I just never ate a lot, but now I have an excuse. Baby’s gotta grow,”

Daryl laughed. “I hope so. Are you almost done?”

“Yeah, just give me a couple minutes and I’ll be out.”

“Do you need help getting out?” he asked as he stood.

“No thank you. I can still see around me. There’ll come a time when I can’t see the floor in front of me, then you’ll have to do everything,” she chuckled and stood in the tub.

Daryl took her towel and wrapped it around her. “You get dressed. I’ll get lunch ready.” He squeezed her tight and kissed her. “I’ll see ya in the kitchen and tell ya about my visit with Merle.”

\---------

Amanda came into the kitchen wearing a pair of pajama shorts and a AC/DC shirt she stole from Daryl. He had the burgers plated up and was taking bottles of water out of the refrigerator. “What have you done today? Besides taking a nice, relaxing bath?” he asked.

“Jack shit,” she replied. “I didn’t get out of bed until an hour ago. It’s a good thing you got home when you did; I could have fallen asleep in there. How is Merle?”

“Hasn’t changed at all that I could tell. They brought him in wearing shackles. He got involved in some kind of fight in his cell block.”

“Oh my God! Is he trying to make friends or is he just being an idiot?”

“Idiot is my guess. He’s always been that kind of stupid. He has to be the big man, wants all the attention and praise and will do any stupid ass thing for it. I told him about the baby. He promised me that he would stop doing stupid shit. He wants to be a part of the baby’s life. I told him I could maybe get him a job working for Paul. I want to help him get his life straightened out. He can have a family just like me, he just has to learn how good that can feel.”

“I’ll do whatever I can to help him. I know he’s a moron, but he’s your brother and our child’s uncle. I think you’re right. Having a family to trust and depend on will be good for him.”

“I think he’ll give it a chance. I think once he sees his niece or nephew he’ll realize that he needs to change. He promised me he’d try.”

“That’s all we can ask of him and just support him. If he needs help, we can get that for him. He’s gonna be a part of our family, we take care of each other.”

Daryl smiled. He had no idea what he had done to deserve this life he had walked into. All his life, Merle told him that   
“nothing good would ever happen to me and that he was the only person who would ever love me, the Dixon name was a curse and anyone who associated with it would go down in flames. I just have to convince him that he was wrong.” 

“We’ll show him he was wrong. Everyone who knows you, loves you. Even my brother, and that’s quite an accomplishment.But no one loves you more than I do, that’s a fact.”

He reached across the table and took her hand in his. They had both finished their lunch and stood up together. Pulling her to him, he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom. He sat her on her feet when they entered, he caressed her cheek with his palm. “No one loves you more than I do,” he said to her. 

Cradling her head in his hands he kissed her, pushed her body against the wall, moved her shirt up and over her head then devoured her with his mouth. He licked, sucked, and nipped his way down her neck to her chest. She squirmed against him as he held her hands above her head.

She squirmed against him as he pressed himself into her. She felt his hard cock on her stomach. “Fuck me, Daryl. Please, just fuck me.”

He let go of her arms and looked at her. Staring into her eyes intently, he grabbed the waistband of her shorts and ripped them off her. Her knees weakened and she let out a sharp cry of pleasure. “I love every part of you,” he told her in a deep, rough voice. “You are gonna be mine forever.”

Putting his hands on her hips, he gripped her tight and fell to his knees. He lifted her leg and draped it over his shoulder. With one hand still on her hip, the other held her thigh. He dove in and licked her wet pussy viciously. He licked her long and hard, her body shook with every taste he took. Her cries became louder as he sucked and nipped at her clit. He felt as if his cock was going to burst out of his pants.

“I’m gonna come! I’m gonna come!” Amanda screamed right before she flooded his mouth. He drank her in completely and lickd her clean. “I fucking love the way you taste,” he said as he stood up. He unbuttoned his shirt and slipped it off as she unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants. She pushed them and his boxers down his legs as he kissed her again. She tasted herself on his lips and moaned loudly.

Daryl lifted her up into his arms and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He buried his face in her chest and pushed himself inside her. He loved the way she felt around him; warm, wet and tight. 

He blindly moved his head around and found her left nipple.Taking it into his mouth he sucked and licked it like he had her clit. He sucked on the flesh of her breast as he lost himself in the motion of his thrusts. Daryl felt her tighten around him and moved his hips faster. He was grunting and groaning as he felt the buildup to his orgasm increase. 

Daryl erupted so hard that he unwittingly pushed her roughly against the wall causing her to orgasm unexpectedly. They screamed each other’s names in unison and Amanda put her arms around Daryl’s neck and held on tight to him as they peaked and came back down.

He placed her on her feet and they clung to each other. “You make me happier than anyone else ever has,” Amanda said breathlessly. 

Daryl didn’t say anything, just looked at her. He picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bed and laid her down. He then slowly walked to the closet and pulled the small box out of his jacket pocket.

“I was going to wait to do this. I was supposed to wait to do this. Paul said it should be special and memorable, but I can’t think of a more special or memorable time than right now.”

Standing on her side of the bed, he got down on both knees and presented her with the ring.”I fell in love with you ten years ago and made the most stupid mistake I’ve ever made in my life. I’m grateful beyond belief that after everything that happened in those ten years you were still willing to speak to me, and since then I have done everything possible to make up for my stupidity.” 

“You have made me happier than I ever thought I was allowed to be. There aren’t any words good enough to tell you how excited I am about being a father. I missed that the first time and it still hurts knowing I’ll never know my son. I promise you that I will never leave you again and want to spend every moment of the rest of my life with you and our children. Please marry me.”

Tears were streaming down Amanda’s cheeks. She held the ring between her fingers. Daryl moved to sit on the bed with her and wiped her tears. “I would be honored to be your wife.”


	8. Chapter Eigh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wedding

Five months later

“Well, hell, If I’d a known you’d make me wear this damn monkey suit, I would’ve stayed in my cell,” Merle bitched as he attempted to tie his tie.

“It’s a fucking wedding, Merle. I wasn’t gonna let you show up to one of the most important days of my life wearing ripped jeans and a wife beater. I went through a lot trying to get that day pass for you, Paul too. You better start working on showing him your worthy of that letter he’s gonna write to the parole board. This is your brother on the line too,”

“I know that. I’m just saying I’ve never worn one of these before. Neither have you.” 

“I’m not bitchin’ about it. I’ve just got more important things to freak out about. How much time do we have?”

“Thirty minutes,” said one of the plain-clothed officers acting as escorts for Merle. Part of the agreement for his day pass was that he had to have a three person escort to and from the event; at least one of them has to be within ten feet of him at all times.

The knock on the door of the grooms changing room startled Daryl so bad that he jumped backward. “Y’all doing okay?” Paul asked through the door.

“Hell if I know,” Daryl replied nervously. Paul poked his head in the door.

“From what I hear, my sister is freaking out a little too. Tiffany has her hands full down the hall. I think she thought being maid of honor would be less stressful.” he said as he walked in. He shook Daryl’s hand and then introduced himself to Merle.

“The only thing Darlina’s worried about is forgetting his lines or fainting like a girl,” Merle laughed.

“Merle, I swear to God this is not the time to piss me off. You call me Darlina again and I’ll tell your friends to take you back and you can forget about parole.”

“Damn! For the first time in my life I’m glad I have a sister and not a brother,” Paul said, laughing. “I’m gonna go check on Amanda and Tiffany. Merle, I’d like to talk to you at the reception if you’re not too busy.”

“Looking forward to it. I’ll have to bring my friends with me though.”

“That’s fine, as long as ya don’t leave before we get to discuss a few things.”

\----------

Paul heard giggling as he approached the door to the bride’s room. He didn’t want to eavesdrop, but felt it best to know what he was about to walk into. Pressing his ear against the door, all he could hear was excited mumbling.

“Is it safe to come in?” he asked as he knocked on the door.

“Yes,” they replied in unison.

Amanda and Tiffany sat on a California King bed wearing their dresses. “You ladies look stunning. Daryl is going to flip out; more than he already is.”

“Is he really flipping out?” Amanda asked, concerned.

“I told him you were freaking out a little too and I think it made him feel better. Merle’s giving him a hard time too. Daryl threatened to have the escorts take him back to prison if he didn’t stop calling him Darlina.” Paul howled with laughter. “I have never been happier to have a sister.”

“Daryl was a completely different man when he was with his brother” Amanda explained. “He wouldn’t be where he is right now if Merle was still a constant in his life. His brother always brought him down, never wanted Daryl to be better or more successful than him. The only reason Daryl came back to Georgia was because Merle was gone and he had the freedom to do it.”

“I guess we should be thankful to him, huh? I’m gonna talk to him at the reception, see if he’s willing to do what needs to be done for himself and the family. He’s a part of ours now and I’m not going to let him do anything to hurt Daryl, you, or the baby. By the way, what were you two laughing at when I came in?”

“Baby stuff!” Tiffany screamed out, bouncing on the bed.

“Oh yeah, you had a sonogram last week, didn’t you?”

“Yep,” Amanda answered,

“And you’re not going to tell me what it is, are you?”

“We’re going to make an announcement at the reception. You’ll have to wait with everyone else.”

“You told Tiffany. She can’t keep a secret,” Paul said, giving his daughter the evil eye.

Tiffany stood up. “I’ll have you know, I knew about the baby before Daryl did and I kept that secret for two months! You don’t know me, dad!” She stuck her tongue out at Paul and headed to the door. “I’m gonna check the chapel, make sure everything is ready.”

\----------

Twenty minutes later there was a knock on Daryl’s door. “Daryl, it’s Nikki. The preacher is saying it’s time for you and Merle to take your places.”

“Thanks, Nikki. We’ll be right down.”

“Who is Nikki?” Merle asked.

“She and Amanda were best friends in high school. She lives in Fort Worth now; plays violin in the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. She’s playing the music for the ceremony.”

“Think you could introduce me later?” Merle smirked.

“I don’t know if she wants to meet a man who’s about to go back to prison.”

“You don’t have to tell her that. You could tell her I’m involved in a secret military operation and these guys are my bodyguards.”

Daryl looked at the three plain clothed police officers who simultaneously shook their heads. “She’ll see you standing up there with me. I’m pretty sure Amanda told her about you. She may not want to know you.”

“Bullshit. Women love ‘ol Merle.”

“You’re not used to a woman with a college education and class. She’ll chew you up and spit you out,” Daryl said and walked out the door.

\----------

When Tiffany got back to the bride’s room, her aunt and her father were talking quietly. “There ready for us,” she announced as she walked in the door.

Tiffany put on the smile that she would wear for the rest of the day as Paul gave her the bouquet of white lilies and offered his arm to her. Tiffany followed them down the hall to the chapel doors.

There was a pause as they arrived at the chapel door before the usher opened it for them. When it opened, Nikki began to play “Here Comes the Bride''. All heads turned to see Amanda in her floor length, A-line wedding dress. Daryl’s mouth fell open. He had not seen the dress before but Amanda had described it to him. Never could he have imagined she would be so beautiful.

His eyes never left her as she walked toward him. The smile on her face put one on his and he had never felt more confident about any decision he had ever made. When she reached the end of the asle, Paul shook Daryl’s hand then sat on the front row. 

They had already said everything they needed to say to each other. They had poured their hearts out and knew how they felt about each other and what kind of life they wanted together. They didn’t write their own vows; they stuck with a traditional ceremony. They had already made those promises to each other and much more. This was just a technicality presented for their friends and family.

Daryl’s fear of flubbing his lines or passing out was unfounded. They made it through the ceremony with flying colors; not one mistake made, except when Merle pretended to not have the ring. Daryl almost cold cocked him right there in front of God and the preacher.

When it was finally over, Daryl and Amanda left for the reception in a limo. The entire wedding, reception and honeymoon were Paul’s wedding gift to the couple. He had procured the chapel, pastor, and reception hall in addition to agreeing to speak to Merle about a job. Daryl would owe him for the rest of his life.

Tiffany had taken care of the decorations for the reception and she had outdone herself. It was so beautiful you would have thought a professional had adorned the place.

The newlyweds didn’t have much time before the guests started arriving. The photographer set them up right inside the door to greet everyone as they came in. It took fifteen minutes to get through the line and after, Daryl and Amanda were rushed to their seats at the long table. He told Merle that he didn’t need to prepare a speech because they decided that the event wouldn’t be that formal, also Daryl didn’t want his brother to feel embarrassed by speaking in front of a bunch of strangers. But as a surprise, the only one he could give, Merle stood and spoke to the crowd.

Daryl cringed slightly when his brother began to speak; Merle had no filter, which in most circumstances was something Daryl always admired, but right now he was afraid he would ruin any chance of him being able to be accepted and trusted by his new friends and family.

Merle started off talking about how he raised Daryl and tried to give him a better life than he had. He was always afraid that he had failed and that his brother would end up like him, but Daryl became a better man than he had. He had nothing but praise and respect for his brother and both men teared up. When Merle was finished, Daryl stood and hugged him, whether Merle wanted him to or not.

After Merle took his seat, Daryl took Amanda by the hand and they stood together. He cleared his throat and began to speak. “I’m not good at speaking in front of a bunch of people, but I have a few things to say to everyone. First of all, thank you all for coming today. I never thought I’d ever get married much less have a room full of people who cared. Also, as you all know, Amanda and I are expecting a baby in a few months and we had a sonogram last week. I am excited to announce that we’re having a little girl.”


	9. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten years later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who read, commented and left kudos. I just love these two and enjoyed writting this sequel. Let me know what you think.

Sarah’s alarm went off at six o’clock that morning, but she had been awake most of the night. Today was her tenth birthday and her father had promised to take out to the woods and teach her how to shoot a crossbow. She didn’t know it yet, but he had bought her a Barrett Jackal for her birthday.

Daryl had been a hunter most of his life. Merle had taken him out for the first time when he was eight. All those years the brothers wandered together he had been the one who made sure they didn’t starve. After Merle had gone to prison and Daryl returned to Georgia, he had no reason to hunt anymore. He had only returned to it five years ago when he found his old crossbow in the garage.

Amanda had mixed emotions about Daryl teaching their daughter how to use a weapon. She agreed that it would be a good skill to have but was on the fence regarding her age. Finally, she relented and told Daryl she was okay with him taking her out. 

Sarah Llewellyn Dixon turned over and looked at the photograph on her night stand. Her father had given it to her. It was a picture of him when he was a little boy with his mother, whom she resembled and had been named after. She loved that picture. 

She excitedly jumped out of bed and threw on the clothes she had laid out for today. Quietly she snuck down the hall toward the stairs and went down to the kitchen.n She knew her dad was up because she heard the shower in her parent’s bedroom. She could hear her mother and her little brother, David in the kitchen.

“Happy birthday, Sarah!” David yelled at the top of his lungs when he saw her in the doorway. 

Amanda turned around and squealed. “Happy birthday, baby!” She ran to her daughter and hugged her tight.

“I’m in double digits now, mom. I’m not a baby.” She said exasperated as she rolled her eyes.

“Believe me sweetie I’m aware you’re not a baby anymore. Do you want something special for breakfast? I’ll fix whatever you want.”

“Hmm. I can’t decide between french toast or chocolate chip pancakes.”

“How ‘bout I make french toast and top it with chocolate chips, cool whip, and cinnamon?”

“Damn! That sounds good,” Daryl exclaimed as he walked into the kitchen. He kissed both his children on their heads. “Happy birthday, baby girl.”

“I’m not a baby!” Sarah repeated.

“I know you’re not. It’s a term of affection; a way I can say I love you without embarrassing you.”

“Well, I guess that’s okay,” Sarah replied. 

Daryl started a pot of coffee, then went to the refrigerator to get the bacon. “So David, what are you and your mom gonna do while we’re gone?”

“Momma said I can help decorate for the party and help her make the cake,” he said excitedly.

“I’m sure you’ll do a great job. I can’t wait to see the place when we get back. What kind of cake are you making?”

“She asked for chocolate with strawberry icing and sprinkles. Tiffany said the diner would cater the food, so she’ll be bringing sandwiches and a couple of casseroles.”

“Is she bringing pie? Because if she ain’t, she can’t come to the party.”

“She’s bringing one of each kind,” Amanda answered.

“Just one?”

“Daryl, she’s your niece and she owns the place. You can get a pie whenever you want one.”

Tiffany had an MBA from the University of Georgia and had purchased the diner from Mel when he decided to retire. She and her fiance, Brian had been running the place ever since.

The knock on the door took everyone by surprise. “That must be Merle,” Daryl said. David jumped up and ran to the front door,

“I thought Merle was going to stay at home with Nikki and the baby?” Amanda asked.

“He was, but Nikki threatened to kick him out if he didn’t leave on his own. He’s driving her nuts. He doesn’t know a damn thing about taking care of a baby and freaks out at every little thing. Plus, he’s scared to death he’s gonna do something wrong.”

Merle came strutting through the house into the kitchen carrying a large gift bag. He sat the bag in front of his niece and sat in the chair across from her. “Good morning everybody. Happy birthday, darlin’. Something smells good.”

“If you want to stay for breakfast, Merle you’re more than welcome.”

“Thank you, Amanda. Nikki threw me out the door this morning before I could even get a cup of coffee.”

“Coffee’ll be ready in a couple minutes,” Daryl said as he got up and took two cups from the cabinet.

“Is this for me?” Sarah asked shyly. She knew it was, the bag was pink with glitter and princesses on it. Even though she was a tomboy and a daddy’s girl, she still wanted to be a princess someday.

“It sure is sweetheart. You can open it now or at the party. It’s your decision.”

She looked at her mom and dad. Neither one of them knew what was in the bag. They didn’t even know that Merle had bought her anything. They knew about the gift Nikki had bought, but Merle had done this on his own.

“Do what you want, baby,” Amanda told her and Daryl nodded his head in agreement. She reached inside the bag and felt around. Based on what she sensed, she was sure she knew what it was, but was confused by it.

“A quiver? I don’t have a crossbow, Uncle Merle. Dad’s gonna let me borrow his.”

“Dammit, Daryl. You haven’t given her her present yet?”

“I was planning on giving it to her at the target range. If I’d have known you were giving her that I would have known to let her have it early,”

Sarah looked confused. Daryl got up from the table and went outside to his truck while Amanda served breakfast.

No one but Sarah waited for Daryl to return and when he did he carried a crossbow with a red ribbon wrapped around it. “Happy birthday, sweetheart!”

Sarah screamed and jumped up from the table. Thanking him profusely, she hugged him as tight as she could. “You’re welcome, baby girl. Let’s eat breakfast and we can get on our way.”

Sarah tried her best to remain calm and eat slowly, but it was hard. When she was finished her dad let her go outside and play around with it. The bolts remained with the quiver, so he wasn’t worried too much about her getting hurt. He was pretty sure she wasn’t strong enough to pull back the strings yet.

Amanda filled up a couple of travel mugs of coffee for the brothers and kissed Daryl before they walked out the door. “Could you pick something for me on your way home?”

“Sure, baby. What do you need?”

“The doctor said I should start on the vitamins as soon as possible. Any brand is fine.”

Daryl froze where he stood and stuttered. “Y.. you need prenatal vitamins?”

“Yes, is there a problem?”

He walked up behind her, put his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. “Thank God. I would hate to think we’ve been doing all that work for nothing.”


End file.
